This invention relates to an image processing apparatus and method.
A technique of arithmetically operating an image signal is being spread widely. This technique is utilized, for example, to determine a three-dimensional image of an imaging object by arithmetically operating an image signal.
In order to obtain a plurality of signals necessary for arithmetic operation, where such an image pickup device as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) is used, an image of an imaging object is picked up repetitively. Image signals obtained by the repetitive image picking up operations are stored into a memory device such as a frame memory. Then, the thus stored signals are read out from the storage device and used for such arithmetic operation as described above.
Also such a non-scanning type image pickup device as disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. hei 6-25653 has been proposed as a method and an apparatus for realizing real-time geometric measurement.
However, where an image of an imaging object is picked up repetitively, since the time of, for example, 33.3 msec or 16.6 msec is required for a single image picking up operation, there is a subject to be solved that this time required for the image pickup makes an upper limit and a result of arithmetic operation of image information cannot be obtained at a higher rate.
Also it is a subject to be solved that, since a result of arithmetic operation of an image signal cannot be obtained unless an image picking up operation is performed repetitively, a result of arithmetic operation cannot be obtained on the real-time basis.
In the non-scanning type image pickup device disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. hei 6-25653, since outputs of individual pixels arrayed on the image pickup device are handled independently of one another, output signal lines of the pixels cannot be formed as a common output signal line or lines. Further, since the non-scanning type image pickup device does not include storage means for the pixels, it has a subject to be solved that it loses such a characteristic of the “non-scanning type” that individual pixels operate independently of one another and consequently cannot perform real-time processing.